Customer Reviews:
The Polly Parker Stories.......2005-12-27
I am really shocked that this first rate Fitzgerald collection does not have the "Polly Parker" stories that originally were printed serially in THE SATURDAY EVENING POST in 1922. Apparently these uncollected stories remain unavailable anywhere in book form.
Polly Parker was a typical Fitzgerald heroine -- a blue-eyed flapper with a pert nose and golden hair bobbed very short. The reason her stories are omitted, I gather, is that they were slightly more sexual in tone and also addressed taboo subjects such as alcoholism, racial violence, incest, and insanity.
"GRANDPA'S GOLD" the first Polly story, deals with lasting echoes of the Civil War. Spoiled Polly goes to Vermont for the summer to stay with her aging grandfather -- the last remaining Union army veteran in Vermont. Ultimately she robs him of a small fortune in gold coins which he had originally intended to donate to a Negro orphanage. This story highlights Fitzgerald's ambivalence towards the young women of the day -- Polly is cruel and selfish, but also winningly spontaneous, free and independent. Fitzgerald's racism is in full flower here as well. The fact that she is "only" robbing colored people seems to make her crime an amusing prank rather than a vicious crime.
"ALLIGATOR QUEEN" is both darker and more sophisticated. Polly is a houseguest in Georgia, where she meets Eleanor Hiss, a jazz age siren who may or may not have negro blood. The two girls deliberately lead a young Harvard man out into quicksand, then go joy riding in his car while he slowly drowns. Fitzgerald later wrote that Eleanor seduced Polly in an early draft -- but in 1922 the SATURDAY EVENING POST would never have carried a story with an explicit lesbian seduction.
"HOLY MATRIMONY" is the ironic finale to the Polly Parker stories. Invited on a weekend yachting party, Polly is compromised by an Eastern Prince and forced to marry silent movie star Reginald Dashwood. Dashwood is a homosexual who needs "discreet companionship." Polly marries him, assuming he is a pushover, but instead he is cruel, domineering and controlling -- and aided by an iron-willed mother who treats Polly like a servant. Polly's "punishment" is ironic, since she now has unlimited wealth and a dazzling husband -- but no freedom and no hope of either sexual or spiritual release.
Taken together, these three stories represent Fitzgerald's darkest early work -- and they should be included in any "definitive" collection.
Short Stories.......2002-09-12
I bought this book for the short stories. They are like small diamonds on a necklace, sparkling in a row, each one a wonder. Fitzgerald's short stories are like that.
"The Off Shore Pirate" is hilarious. The "Ice Palace" is strange and beautiful. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is about a baby born very old who gets younger every year.
"The Diamond As Big As The Ritz" is classic Fitzgerald, about the rich.
The story that is missing is "The Rich Boy." This is the story that started the famous spat between Hemingway and Fitzgerald.
In this short story, Fitzgerald writes: "The rich are very different from you and me." Hemingway responds in his short story, "The Snows Of Kilimanjaro:" "Yes, they have more money."
But you will not find "The Rich Boy" in this book. Too bad.
Included with the short stories are two novels:: This Side Of Paradise and The Beautiful And Damned. They are very adolescent novels. High school students might enjoy them.
Maybe not.
The short stories do more to describe the Jazz Age than his novels.
If you are serious about this author, his greatest novel is The Great Gatsby. His next best novel is Tender Is The Night. "The Rich Boy" is his best short story.
Good Collection of Pre-Gatsby Work.......2000-11-13
This is a very attractive packaged, comprehensive collection of Fitzgerald's early work, containing his first two novels (This Side of Paradise and The Beautiful & Damned) and his first two short story collections. Included are some classic short stories such as May Day and The Diamond As Big As The Ritz. Some of the other stories are less than classic, but all are enjoyable. As is the case with all Library of America volumes, the book is very easy to handle and read. There is a useful set of notes and chronology of Fitzergald's life in the back. All in all, this is well worth the price.
Book Description
The classic story of Cinderella gains even more charm in this glamorous retelling by world-famous picture book writer and illustrator Shirley Hughes.
Ella Cinders loves helping her father in his dress shop and laughing with her friend Buttons, the store's delivery boy. Then comes the terrible day when her father remarries and everything changes. Her stepmother makes her sew in the dreary basement. Her stepsisters mock her shabby dress. And to top it off, the new Mrs. Cinders forbids Ella to attend the duke's grand ball. Heartbroken, Ella is sure that her life will never be what she dreamed. But with the help of a fairy godmother and some sparkling courage of her own, this Cinderella discovers that dreams can come true in the most unexpected of ways.
Join Ella amidst the dazzle and fashion of the roaring twenties as she takes happily ever after into her own hands!
Customer Reviews:
Great choice.......2007-08-24
I love this book! Excellent artwork and great message. This is THE book for every princess-obsessed little girl out there.
Hughes at her best.......2007-01-10
Shirley Hughes' retelling of the Cinderella story set in the jazz era is really beautiful! Her illustrations alone could tell the story, but the text is wonderfully written and humorous as well. The book is enjoyable from cover to cover!
"You Never Did Try My Bacon and Eggs, did you?" .......2006-03-24
There are several authors and illustrators of children's picture books that should be essential reading experiences for every child, created by artists that meld whimsy, humour, poignancy, wisdom and humanity with such grace that you just know that the memory of that book will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Shirley Hughes is one of these authors/illustrators, best known for her `Alfie and Annie Rose' books, but also of several other stories that capture all the above traits. "Ella's Big Chance" is one such book, taking the traditional tale of Cinderella and changing it in several vivid, exciting ways. It is old and refreshingly new at the same time.
Mr Cinders and his daughter Ella run a dress shop, along with their delivery boy Buttons (who almost always appears as the narrator in any production of a pantomime Cinderella). They are a happy family, but all that changes when Mr Cinders marries Madame Renee, who has two daughters of her own: Ruby and Pearl. Ella's new stepfamily takes over her existence, reducing her to a servant in her own home. Her only ally is Buttons with whom she has a warm and kind friendship.
Then the news arrives that the handsome Duke of Arc is having a ball. You all know what happens next: Ella is denied an invitation, a fairy godmother transforms her rags, and Ella makes her magnificent debut. The clock strikes twelve, Ella flees and the Duke begins his search for her, using the glass slipper she left behind as his guide.
One might at this stage think that this is simply another rehash of the Cinderella tale; if you've read one, you've read them all. But Shirley Hughes' version differs in several key ways. First is the setting; Parisian France in the 1920's, where the streets are quaint and sunlit, a silver limousine takes the place of the pumpkin carriage, the dancing mirrors that of Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire, and the costumes are the quintessential gowns of Doucet, Poiret and Patou. It is a visual feast for the eyes, romantic and glamorous.
Second is Ella's physique. Whereas her stepsisters are slender and lovely (not *ugly* stepsisters at all), Ella herself is a little on the voluptuous side - and she looks fantastic. It's a great step up from the stick-figures that frequent children's fairytales, especially those targeted toward girls.
Lastly are several story elements; such as the fact that Ella's father does not pass away but remains a hen-pecked husband who is powerless to rescue his daughter. Then there is Hughes' delightful interpretation of the fairy godmother, as an umbrella-wielding granny with a secret plan for Ella. Most important of all is the twist regarding Buttons - I won't give it away (though you've probably already guessed what it is now that I've mentioned it). I'll say no more except that it's great.
So that's Shirley Hughes's Cinderella retelling, a fantastic reading experience that everyone (especially your daughters) will love, with several subtle but truthful messages on *real* beauty, *real* kindness and *real* happiness.
A Jazz-Age Cinderella.......2006-03-21
this book was awesome.the illastrations were great and the story was very livly and 30's!
A Book Right Out of the Golden Age of Movies-Sensational!.......2005-05-18
Knowing that this Cinderella-themed book won the "Kate Greenaway Medal for Children's Illustration," I decided to look at the illustration before reading the text. I was looking for authenticity and creativity in the pictures, as well as a hint of the story to come. I'm also a fan of jazz, and although the music isn't synonymous with the "age," I was curious to see whether author/illustrator Shirley Hughes incorporated any musical elements.
It didn't take long to discover the sweep and style of the 1920's, for Hughes' 2-page opening title shows a glossy ballroom floor, inhabited by a small jazz band, self-assured men in tuxedoes and tails, fashionable women in full length gowns (plunging either in front or back), and a white-coated "manservant" offering martinis. (Zelda, we have arrived!) As the story begins, pictures show the middle and under classes, and the scornful looks of the social "betters." The latter are dressed in chiffon, feathers, fancy hats, and jewelry, and a man sports a pinstripe suit with a rose boutonnière and impeccable black and white spats. You can sense the texture of their clothes, just as you can feel the conflicting attitudes of the haves and have-nots. I cheated and looked at the endpaper: The rich colors come from gouache, accented and shaded with pen. In addition (and, as noted by another reviewer), Hughes' original dress designs were inspired by 1920's French couture; her ballroom scenes by the décor and set designs of the glorious RKO-produced Astaire/Rogers musicals. The book's remaining pictures convey emotion (especially in cinematic-like close-ups), dramatic lighting, subtle and grand action, and swirls of gorgeous, opulent color. Hughes captures the look of money and the face of disenfranchisement with equal magnificence.
OK, so I'm completely sold on the pictures. What about the story? As you may have gathered, the Cinderella here is "Ella Cinder," a comely woman who's an expert helper in her father's dress shop. When she can, she laughs with almost- boyfriend "Buttons." As for the scornful women mentioned above, they're her dad's new wife (Cinder's stepmother) and her daughters (the stepsisters!). The stepmother takes over running the shop, the stepsisters model, lounge about, and call Cinder names, and Cinder herself has to work harder than ever. Mr. Cinders is a broken man in this power play, and he can do nothing to help his daughter.
Buttons, however, scrappy American that he is, "stays on the job for [Cinder's] sake." "Privately he called the [stepsisters] a couple of puffed-up, made-up, stuck-up, brainless parakeets." He also plays his guitar" in Ella's ratty basement room, and sometimes, "they even danced together...moving softly in and out among the bales of cotton." This is pure literary magic, Hughes' words and pictures mesh like a slow dance; they're consistently evocative and note-perfect.
I'll now cut to the chase of this modernized (to a point) fairy tale: An elite ball is planned, and the stepsisters scoff at the neglected Cinder. Very soon, however, an efficient yellow-hatted woman with a purple umbrella (her wand, it turns out) does her magic, and Ella turns into the Queen of the Jazz Age, the Belle of the Ball, and the Delight of the Duke who dances with her. Hughes wisely keeps the stroke of twelve and missing slipper motifs, but like any good 1920's film, Ella turns down the rich duke for her true love, Buttons, who can promise only his winning and constant love, a dream of owning their own shop, and his famous bacon and eggs. This book from 2003 is a complete delight, excelling in every conceivable way, and it's hard to imagine any child (or adult) not enjoying and treasuring it immensely.
Note: The book is so cinematic in illustration, plot, and dialogue, that I'm already having fun casting a hypothetical "movie": Perhaps director Frank Capra (or George Cukor) would insist on a dulled-down Carole Lombard as "Cinder"; Stewart , Cagney, or a relatively new, "nice guy" actor as "Buttons," and S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall or Lionel Barrymore as the beleaguered father. Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell would reprise their cat-fighting roles from "The Women," with Katherine Hepburn (cast against type) or Bette Davis as the (wicked) stepmother, and Franchot Tone or Leslie Howard as romantically tragic Duke. Indulge yourself as I did, and buy this book for a child, and, especially, for yourself.
Book Description
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth, these essays present a middle-aged Fitzgerald looking back on the era he came to epitomize. This book of five confessional essays from the 1930s follows Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda from the height of their celebrity as the darlings of the 1920s to years of rapid decline leading to the self-proclaimed "Crack Up" in 1936. The poetics of Fitzgerald\'s style are not lost in nonfiction, and these pieces display some of his finest writing. This publication from Boomer Books is specially designed and typeset for comfortable reading.
Download Description
The taller of the two was named Carrol Key, a name hinting that in his veins, however thinly diluted by generations of degeneration, ran blood of some potentiality. But one could stare endlessly at the long, chinless face, the dull, watery eyes, and high cheek-bones, without finding suggestion of either ancestral worth or native resourcefulness.
Customer Reviews:
Satirizing the selfishness of the wealthy.......2003-07-20
Tales Of The Jazz Age is an anthology of classic short stories by the renowned 20th Century American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, who is best known for his enduring classic "The Great Gatsby". Satirizing the selfishness of the wealthy, depicting revelry that escalates into a destructive mob, while offering a sharp look at the flaws of society, and enhanced with introductions to each story by the author, Tales Of The Jazz Age is highly recommended, and this Pine Street Books edition would make a perfect choice for school and community libraries needing to replace worn copies of previous editions.
"Must" reading for F. Scott Fitzgerald enthusiasts.......2002-11-07
Tales of the Jazz Age is an anthology of nineteen short stories by renowned author F. Scott Fitzgerald, including "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz", "Dice, Brassknuckles and Guitar", and "Love in the Night". Enhanced with an extensive record of variants, explanatory notes, as well as an extensive introduction concerning the selection and editorial principles of the anthology, Tales of the Jazz Age is a superb edition of classic literature that would grace any academic or library collection -- and is "must" reading for F. Scott Fitzgerald enthusiasts and fans.
Average customer rating:
|
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Jazz Age Tales
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Tantor Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
 Fitzgerald, F. Scott
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Classics
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Fitzgerald, F. Scott
| ( F )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Classics
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Books on CD
| Audiobooks
| Formats
| Books
Classics
| Literature & Fiction
| Books on CD
| Audiobooks
| Formats
| Books
Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| Books on CD
| Audiobooks
| Formats
| Books
Unabridged
| Literature & Fiction
| Books on CD
| Audiobooks
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: 1400102359 |
Book Description
In this brilliantly inventive collection of stories, the author captures the disparate lives of the residents of Manhattan's West 89th Street from marriages, car accidents, love affairs, and adoptions. Unabridged. 8 CDs.
Average customer rating:
|
Tales of the Jazz Age
Manufacturer: Mud Puddle Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1594120846 |
Product Description
Tales of the Jazz Age shows Fitzgerald to be an acute social historian, analytical and prophetic as well as immensely entertaining.
Book Description
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth, these essays present a middle-aged Fitzgerald looking back on the era he came to epitomize. This book of five confessional essays from the 1930s follows Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda from the height of their celebrity as the darlings of the 1920s to years of rapid decline leading to the self-proclaimed "Crack Up" in 1936. The poetics of Fitzgerald's style are not lost in nonfiction, and these pieces display some of his finest writing. Newly designed and typeset in a modern 6-by-9-inch format by Waking Lion Press.
Average customer rating:
|
Six Tales of the Jazz Age
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Fitzgerald, F. Scott
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000L7BFXI |
Average customer rating:
|
Six Tales of the Jazz Age
Manufacturer: Charles Scribner's Son
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fitzgerald, F. Scott
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000GR23HK |
Average customer rating:
- Not Free SF Reader
- Hoping the next one is a bit better
- another great story in the series
- War, what's it good for? [no spoilers]
- Great Book!
|
Wielding a Red Sword (Incarnations of Immortality)
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Anthony, Piers | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Paperback | Anthony, Piers | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Anthony, Piers | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Paperback | Anthony, Piers | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
-
With a Tangled Skein (Book Three of Incarnations of Immortality)
-
Being a Green Mother (Incarnations of Immortality, Book Five)
-
For Love of Evil: Book Six of Incarnations of Immortality
-
And Eternity (Incarnations of Immortality)
-
Bearing An Hourglass (Incarnations of Immortality, Book 2)
ASIN: 0345322215
Release Date: 1987-11-12 |
Book Description
Mym was a dutiful son, but rather than agree to his father's choice for his marriage, he took up the Red Sword, symbol of office of the Incarnation of War, in order to ameliorate some of the suffering caused by Earth's constant petty wars. But Mym discovered that Satan was waiting to trap him, and he must now take desperate measures to outwit the evil genius who aimed to destroy the world....
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
War is necessary, someone has to be in charge.
The fourth Piers Anthony book in the Incarnations series is perhaps a little different in tone, given that wars are not all that fun, so if you are in charge of them and aren't the Evil gloating supervillain Ares type that Wonder Woman and Xena have to deal with and maybe beat up at various intervals throughout their history.
Hoping the next one is a bit better.......2007-05-12
What if death, time, fate, war, nature, evil and good were not mere concepts but offices held by actual people, like any other occupation?
When Mym, the son of a rajah, grows tired of his father's manipulations in his relationships, he opts out of his life in order to become Mars, the immortal Incarnation of War. In this new position his job is to supervise the significant warlike activities occurring in the world. Although he's morally opposed to such needless violence and suffering and initially hopes to use his office as a means of alleviating and lessening the destruction and misery war causes, Mym reluctantly comes to accept that war is a natural and fluctuating, if unpleasant, state of humanity.
Like the few preceding it, Wielding a Red Sword doesn't quite hold up to On a Pale Horse, the first book in this series. As usual, the characters are painfully two-dimensional.
another great story in the series.......2007-02-07
I think this book was the most spell bonding of the series so far. Book 1 was great and I still like it the best, but this story just made you want to read it and not put the book down until the end. Hope the remaining ones are as good.
War, what's it good for? [no spoilers].......2006-06-17
"Wielding A Red Sword" resumes the "Incarnations of Immortality" series as the mysterious Mym becomes enamored by Orb, a stunning woman with phenomenal musical skills. The reader experiences the typical vocabulary and extensive logical analysis as with most fast-paced Piers Anthony novels. Exceptional character (especially during the beginning) and Incarnation growth advances the series adequately. A merciless campaign challenging Satan and the mighty force of War could have developed into an extremely explosive novel.
While the prior book introduced a multifaceted Incarnation, Mars executes his duties traveling with four other minor Incarnations. The office of War changes in an unusual yet remarkable fashion. Plus, Mars and the other Incarnations have stimulating confrontations and relations.
Although most non-romantic plotlines evolve effectively, Rapture's conclusion and Mym's impulsiveness concerning Ligeia undermine the overall story. Phasing out of reality has proven effective to avoid most human and spiritual interaction, yet Incarnations do not remain in such a state while challenging the test barriers of fellow Incarnations.
I recommend this series to any fan of the fantasy genre. However those of a highly inflexible religious background or intolerant attitude towards religion might want to avoid the selection.
Thank you.
Great Book!.......2006-03-29
As with the other Incarnation books, this one makes you think. I love Piers and the idea of people doing the jobs of incarnations is fascinating. Another great book from Mr. Anthony.
Product Description
9 Piers Anthony Books: 1 Apprentice Adept: Unicorn Point / 3 XANTH: The Source of Magic, Question Quest, Dragon on a Pedestal / 1 CLUSTER: Viscious Circle / 4 INCARNATIONS OF IMMORTALITY: With a Tangled Skein, For Love of Evil, Wielding a Red Sword, And Eternity, (Unboxed Set of Fantasy / Sci-Fi Novels from several series) , Shipped in one package to save on shipping costs.
Product Description
Legendary science fiction/fantasy writer Piers Anthony combines fascinating magic with a gripping struggle between good and evil in this most ambitious series. As with the series other stand-alone novels, Wielding a Red Sword depicts a mere mortal who is called to serve as a god-like incarnation. It is the thrilling story of Mym, an Indian prince who takes up the Red Sword to become Mars, the Incarnation of War. To avoid breaking his betrothal to the princess Rapture and the war that would surely result, Mym accepts the fearsome office. As Mars, he plans to keep Rapture by his side as he stops the suffering caused by Earths incessant wars. But will Myms princely training, even his abilities as a berserker, be enough to defeat Satan himself? Piers Anthony weaves together adventure, romance, and Eastern and Western mytholigies to create this charming allegory. Master narrator George Guidall delivers the elegant tale with a dignified tone and much dramatic flair.
Product Description
7 massmarket paperback Titles By Incarnations of Immortality - On a Pale Horse - Bearing an Hourglass - With a Tangled Skein - Wielding a Red Sword - Being a Green Mother - For Love of Evil - And Eternity
Books:
- Fons & Porter Presents Quilts from the Henry Ford: 24 Vintage Quilts Celebrating American Quiltmaking
- Fundraising through Silent Auctions: A Complete Guide
- GIRL FROM THE COAST, THE
- Goodbye Without Leaving
- Greenlanders, The
- Imagining Los Angeles: A City in Fiction (Western Literature Series)
- In the Walled Gardens: A Novel
- La piramide de Kukulcan: Su simbolismo solar
- La Tia Julia Y El Escribidor/ Aunt Julia And the Scriptwritter
- London Bridges (Alex Cross Novels)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis from the NFL to Youth Leagues
- Yellow Eyes
- The Jasmine Moon Murder
- The Grave Maurice
- The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible
- Your Baby's First Year
- The Winning Horseplayer: An Advanced Approach to Thoroughbred Handicapping and Betting
- Art and Adolescence: Teaching Art at the Secondary Level
- Strange Worlds, Fantastic Places
- The Autobiography of Lynn Lee Woodruff
William Faulkner: Novels, 1957-1962: The Town / The Mansion / The Reivers (Library of America)
William Faulkner : Novels 1930-1935 : As I Lay Dying, Sanctuary, Light in August, Pylon (Library of America)
Steinbeck Novels 1942-1952: The Moon Is Down / Cannery Row / The Pearl / East of Eden (Library of America)
William Faulkner: Novels 1926-1929: Soldiers' Pay / Mosquitoes / Flags in the Dust / The Sound and the Fury (Library of America)
William Faulkner : Novels 1942-1954 : Go Down, Moses / Intruder in the Dust / Requiem for a Nun / A Fable (Library of America)
![Wielding a Red Sword [UNABRIDGED CD] (Audiobook) (Book 4, Incarnations of Immortality series)](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21TxZDqbQhL.jpg)